Community members get their hands dirty at the ground breaking and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Redlands Community Learning Garden and Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. (Courtesy of Kim Robbins)

As golden shovels bit into the earth, community members planted trees and kids dug their hands into dark soil to plant veggies at a new outdoor growing space in Redlands.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Redlands Community Learning Garden and Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 20, also included live music and city officials.

Community members get their hands dirty at the ground breaking and ribbon cutting for the Redlands Community Learning Garden and Event Cetner on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. (Courtesy of Kim Robbins)

The ground breaking and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Redlands Community Learning Garden and Event Center was held on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. (Courtesy of Kim Robbins)

Sound

The gallery will resume inseconds

Community members attend the ground breaking and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Redlands Community Learning Garden and Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. (Courtesy of Kim Robbins)

Flats of plants sit ready to go in the ground at the ground breaking and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Redlands Community Learning Garden and Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. (Courtesy of Kim Robbins)

Redlands City Councilwoman Toni Momberger speaks at the ground breaking and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Redlands Community Learning Garden and Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. (Courtesy of Kim Robbins)

Craig Turley with the Blessing Center, speaks at the ground breaking and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Redlands Community Learning Garden and Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. (Courtesy of Kim Robbins)

Community members get their hands dirty at the ground breaking and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Redlands Community Learning Garden and Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019. (Courtesy of Kim Robbins)

“A lot of people want to have a grow garden, therapy garden, learning center but just don’t have the ability to do that,” said Craig Turley, pastor and coordinator with The Blessing Center, one of three nonprofits partnering on the project. “We’re doing it for them. It’s a gift we’re giving to the city of Redlands.”

The partners, which also include Thrive Single Moms and Gardenworks, are inviting students and parents to come and get their hands dirty planting, growing, harvesting and learning.

When completed, the center also will feature murals, pizza ovens, picnic facilities, rabbits and goats, and master gardeners will hold workshops and classes.

“We’d like parents to come out and actually work the grow boxes with their kids,” Turley said. “It’s an activity center and garden experience predominantly directed toward young people to get them out of the house and into the soil.”

The garden is located at 1157 Judson St.

For more information on how to help or participate, contact Brandi Dailey at info@ThriveSingleMoms.com or 909-771-6689.

A lifelong Inland resident, Jennifer Iyer started working in journalism at The Press-Enterprise in 2000. She has written (and shot photos for) stories on wildflowers, camping with a dog, and many community events, and as a videographer covered wildfires and war games to blimp rides and camel racing from Temecula to Big Bear Lake, Twentynine Palms to Jurupa Valley.